OSCE observers barred from entering Crimea:Polish minister

March 06, 2014|Reuters

WARSAW, March 6 (Reuters) - A mission of observers from theOrganisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) hasbeen stopped from entering Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula byunidentified men in military fatigues, Poland's defence ministersaid.

"The mission has been detained, they cannot go further. Theylanded in Odessa and they were travelling by car from Odessatowards the Crimean Peninsula, but they were detained byunidentified men in fatigues," the defence minister, TomaszSiemoniak, told reporters.

He said it was possible the observers would be allowed tohead back the way they came, but they could not go forward intoCrimea. Two Polish military officers are among the OSCE mission.